Residents begin to survey storm damage

Evacuee assistance — A storm worker assists a local residents as she returns to her home in Hugo, Minn., to survey the damage an apparent tornado caused on Sunday afternoon.
MPR Photo/Tom Weber

A Hugo city official said more than 300 homes were damaged, and 50 were totally destroyed. The storm killed 1 child and sent 17 people to the hospital.

Police set up road blocks around the damaged area. Monday morning the city began issuing permits to allow residents through the security perimeter to survey the damage.

Gov. Pawlenty and Sen. Klobuchar — Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Sen. Amy Klobuchar talk with reporters after surveying the damage to Hugo on Monday afternoon. On Sunday afternoon an apparent tornado destroyed 300 building in the city, killing one 2-year-old boy and hospitalizing 17 other people.
MPR Photo/Tom Weber

Resident Irwin Utech was out of town at a barbecue when the storm hit, and he hasn't seen his home, yet.

"We got a call from the oldest son that said 'Are you OK?' So, we tried getting back to the place, but you can't get there from here anymore. So we don't know if we're OK or not," Utech said.

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The American Red Cross set Utech and his wife up in a hotel room last night. And after they get a look at their house, the Utechs have to go back to their hotel.

City council meeting — The Hugo city council and state officials brief residents Monday morning on when they will be allowed back into their neighborhoods to survey the damage caused by a tornado on Sunday afternoon.
MPR Photo/Tim Nelson

While residents were beginning to survey the damage, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Gov. Tim Pawlenty were on a tour of the area.

Klobuchar said her heart goes out to the town.

"I know from seeing what I saw in southeastern Minnesota in Rushford that towns can rebuild," Klobuchar said. "Rushford was basically decimated from that flood, and they came back. Those are some of the words I will bring. As well we are in contact with FEMA and will do everything we can to help."

Exposed home — A Hugo home sits with its furniture exposed after the home's wall was ripped off it by an apparent tornado on Sunday afternoon.
MPR Photo/Curtis Gilbert

Power has been shut off in the damaged area, and authorities won't allow residents to spend the night there tonight.

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Damaged homes — Homes damaged in an apparent tornado Sunday sit with their roofs and sides blown off of them.
MPR Photo/Curtis Gilbert

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Police blockade — Police block access to a housing development in Hugo, Minn. In the background a home stands with its interior exposed after an apparent tornado ripped off the home's outside wall. Hugo residents were anxiously awaiting permission to return to the community to survey the damage.
MPR Photo/Curtis Gilbert

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Residents begin to survey storm damage

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